Grate.



Patented Aug; 14, I900. w. c. mesms.

G B A T E (Applicafion filed Mar. 28, 1898.)

(No Model'.)

mm: ran,

WITNESSES Arron/15 H UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VVERTER O. HIGGINS, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

GRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent 0. 655,930, dated August 14,1900.

Application filed March 28, 1898. Serial No. 675,468. (N0 m0del-) To allwhom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WERTER C. HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States,residingat Norwich, in the county of New London'and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain'new heaters; and the particularobject of my said invention is to provide in a simple and effectivemanner for the crushing and removal of clinkers and also for the readyremoval of the entire grate whenever it is necessary to inspect orrepair the same.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the ash-pitsection of a furnace, showing my new'form ofgrate partly drawn outtherefrom; and Fig. 2 isa'longitudinal vertical sectional view takennear the center of said grate. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of oneof the sides of the ash-pit frame in which the grate is supported, thisview illustrating also a portion of one of the grate-bars and the mannerof removably sup porting the grate. Fig. 4 shows an elevation, a plan,and a cross-section of aportion of the frame in which the grate-bar endsare supported; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view online 5 5 of Fig. 3.

My invention is inthe class of grates composed of amultiple of bars thatare journaled in suitable supports, certain of the bars being connectedby a rod that is common to all, by means of which they may be rocked inunison by simply operatingthe said connecting-rod.

In the annexed drawings the reference-letter a indicates the ash-pit orbase-section ofa furnace, said section being here illustrated as ofrectangular box form and preferably provided with an inwardly-projectingflange a or'overhanging portion; 4 Secured to the inner face of theopposite sides of the section a are angle irons'or. plates 12, in whichare journaled small wheels or pulleys c, said wheels being arranged at astated distance apart along both sides of the ash-pit casing a, near thetop of the latter. Loosely supported on the wheels 0 is a frame d, whosesides are preferably at a slight distance from 5 5' the sides of theash-pit to permit of the passage of any coal or clinkers that mightaccidental ly get between the edge of the frame and the sides of theash-pit when the frame is being moved longitudinally within the pit. Thesides may also be curved or grooved, as

at d, at the points where the frame rests upon the wheels, the groovesdf being provided (as tracks or guards) to prevent the accidental displacement of frame at when the latter is being drawn out from or pulledinto the casing a. The sides of frame at extend downward, as at d andare formed with alternating depressions or sockets d d, the former ofwhich are semicircular at the bottom, while the latter, d, are angularat the bottom, as most clearly explained by Fig. 4 of the accompanyingdrawings. By forming the grate-bearings in this manner each of them isopen at the sides, except at the top, where the flat or main portion ofthe frame forms a retaining-wall, against which the end of the graterests to prevent its longitudinal movement in the bearings. The openbearing prevents the accumulation of ashes within the bearing and thusavoids the necessity of a block in the bearing above the grate-journal;but to prevent the accidental displacement of the journal from thisopen-topped bearing,when it is being rocked it is'necessary that theflange Z) be located so close to the flange a that the distance betweenthe top of the grate-frame and the flange be less than the diameter ofthe grate-journal. In this manner the grate cannot get out of itsbearing while within the 0 ash-pit, but can be lifted outwithoutremoving any blocks when the frame has been removed from the pit.

Within the angular depressions d are placed non-rocking grate-bars e,the ends of which are shaped to fit the said angular depressions. (SeeFig. 2.) Within the semicircular depressions d are journaled thecircular ends of grate-bars g, and each of said bars g is provided witha downwardly-extend- 10o ing arm h, and all the arms h of any desiredseries of grate-bars are pivoted at their lower or free ends with a rod1', extending along the side of the ash-pit and projecting outward fromthe front thereof a distance sufficient to I05 allow a lever is to beattached to said rod '5. Lever 7c is fulcrumed in a bracket m, securedto or formed as a part of the ash-pit casing,

and it will now be understood that when the free end of lever is graspedand rocked, as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 2, its lower end will impartlongitudinal movement to rod 2', and the several arms h and theirgrate-bars g will be simultaneously rocked. The entire number of rockinggrate-bars g may be connected to a single rod 1', and thus all may berocked in unison; but I prefer to connect a part of them-for example,those nearest the front of the furnace-to a rod i on one side of theash-pit, while the remaining bars g'(at the rear of the furnace) areconnected to a similar rod 1', located at the opposite side of 'thefurnace, for the reason that this duplex arrangement makes it possibleto rock the front and rear grate-bars independently of each other, whichis often desirable, or they may be rocked in unison by simply operatingboth of the levers 70 at the same time. It will now be understood thatonly the alternate grate-bars are adapted to be rocked, the intermediatebars 6 being prevented from rocking by their described angular supportsat each end.

Having thus described the general construction, arrangement, andoperation of the grate-bars, I wish now to refer to the particular andnovel shape of said grate-bars, as said shape forms an important andvaluable feature of my present invention. Each gratebar, whether of thefixed series 6 or of the rocking series g, is formed with narrow lateralwings e g, that alternate with each otherthat is to say, the wings g ofthe rocking grate-bars g enter the spaces between the wings a of thenext adjacent fixed grate-bar e, causing the wings of said adjacent barsto overlap each other, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, thus providing asubstantially-solid upper surface to the entire grate when its bars arein theirnormal positions. Projecting upward from the center of each ofthe grate-bars e g are spurs or lugs 9 whose sides are vertical andwhose tops terminate in angles that pitch each way from the center, asbest seen in Fig. 2. When the grate is loaded with clinkers and ashes,the described angular sides of the lugs e g cause such clinkers, &c., toslide down said angular sides into the open spaces between the adjacentgrate-bar lugs. The ashes pass downward through the cracks andinterstices between the wings e g (during the operation of rocking'thebars 9) and the clinkers are caught and crushed between the lugs e 9said lugs acting then as powerful jaws, one of which, e is fiXed and theother, 9 is movable. The extent of the rocking movement of grate-bars gshould be so limited that the ends of the wings g will never rise abovethe level of the top of the wings e. If otherwise, openings would beprovided into which clinkers or coals would fall, and thus clog thegrate; but when the grate-bars are constructed and operated as I havedescribed clinkers or other hard substances will be crushed to powderwhen they drop between the lugs g e and may then sift downward be tweenthe wings g e into the ash-pit.

, At each end of the frame d, in which the grate-bars are supported, Iprovide tooth-like projections (1 that fill the otherwise open spacesbetween the wings on the bars at the front and rear of the grate.

It will now be understood that the complete grate is mounted in theframe d and that said frame is supported at each side on the wheels 0 insuch manner that whenever it becomes necessary to inspect or repair thegrate the latter may be easily and quickly withdrawn from the ash-pit,it being only necessary to first remove the front of the ash-pitsection. Having thus withdrawn the grate, the bars e g (or any one ofthem) may be disconnected from rod 't' and lifted from their supports inthe frame d.

At the front end of the grate I prefer to connect the side walls with atransverse strip or connector a which is curved upwardly at its ends topermit the passage of the gratebar frame below it. Thisconstruction willhold the walls in place without interfering with the operation of thegrates or the frame. I also prefer to curve the ends of the arms houtward, so that the bars c will lie close to the side walls a anddirectly under the flange b at one side of the grate, thereby givingmore room for access to the ash-pit for cleaning it out or any otherpurpose.

My invention is particularly valuable for use in large furnaces, inwhich the grate-bars are of considerable size and weight.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a furnace, thecombination with the side walls, each of whichis provided with aninwardly-projecting flange, of rollers journaled therein, a grate-frame,each end of which is provided with tooth-like projections, and each sideis grooved longitudinally to engage with the rollers, and is providedwith a downward extension, said extension being provided withjournal-bearings, and a series of grates journaled in the furnace, eachof which is provided with wings, a portion of the wings of the endgrates fitting betweenthe projections of the frame.

2. In a furnace, the combination, with the side walls, the top of eachof which is provided with two inwardly-projecting flanges, of roll ersjournaled in the lower flange, a grate- ,frame of a less width than thedistance be- WERTER O. HIGGINS.

WVitnesses:

FRANK H. ALLEN, ALONZO M. LUTHER.

